one of the most physically challenging sports around, and equally misunderstood. To participate in crew, one becomes a rower or a coxswain. A rower will propell a 60 ft 8 man boat at speeds from 10 miles per hour to 15 miles per hour, for distances ranging from 2000-6000 meters. Contrary to popular belief, crew is not an upperbody sport, rowing is an intense workout for all muscles, but mainly legs. For people who partake in crew they understand just how physically and mentally challenging it is to move a boat fast, while keeping it set. And people who say it's easy obviously haven't tried it, and just assume it's easy. Most rowers are unfortunately considered preps, due to the large amount of money it takes to purchase and maintain a racing shell. It is in no way shape or form an easy sport, but if you were to ask any rower about it, you will find that despite the difficult amount of work, these people wouldn't have it any other way.

Common Rowing mantras:

"I can't, I have crew"

"A rower does more before dawn then most do all day"

"Rowing only looks easy"

"No one knows what pain is, unless they have sprinted that last 500 meters"

Considered the top most difficult sport in existence. The crew , or rowers, commit themselves day after day (sometimes before school in the morning or during school vacations twice a day)in order to achieve top physical condition. Pre-season training consists of resistance training, running, and the oh so beloved erg. An erg is a device that is synonomous with torture and causes immense pain due to the lactic acid build up in the muscles. Some say, "You havn't experienced pain until you've sprinted the last 500 meters." On this machine, some pull so hard as to vomit, pass out, or find themselves unable to walk afterwards. Once race season begins, the crews race in elongated boats consisting of 1, 2, 4, or 8 person boats. Races are generally 1500-6000 meters long, yet only last a matter of minutes. The tremendous exertion of energy from the crew leaves them completely exausted at the end of the race. CREW IS FOR REAL ATHLETES, nuff said.

A bizarre cult centered around the movement of boats across water in straight lines, propelled by the mental force of anywhere from one to eight human, virgin adherents. During the winter months, its disciples rise well earlier than most sane humans for their bizzare sunrise rituals, including self-injury caused by the use of a holy relic known only as an "erg," which strangely resembles a Medieval torture rack, in honour of their victory-god, "Henley", and 18 mile pilgrimage runs to honour the river-god "Nationals", and his mate "Canadian Nationals". The sacred hymns of the Scottish musical duo "The Proclaimers" are played during these rituals.

Sport of the real athletes. Rowers are INSANE. Only kids that do crew would get up in the cold, dark rainy weather to move and row boats for four hours. After moving the heavy boats we have to get into nothing but spandex and a rowing shirt on the 28 degree water with the wind hitting our backs and get yelled at by an angry short person. We spend more time with our team that our families, we have accepted the term cult.

IF CREW WAS EASY IT'D BE CALLED FOOTBALL.

I can't. I have crew.

Crew is like crack. It interferes with your sleep. It destroys your body. It introduces you to totally weird people. It's expensive. It takes you away from the real world and into a fantasy land. You start doing it way too much, as you build up a tolerance. You can't stop. You love it, but you know that you shouldn't. You stick with it, because you have this bizzare idea that life would just not be the same without it.

One of the hardest most demanding sports that takes all your time and energy, and even though you may hate it with the passion of 100 million suns, you continue to do anyways.

A sport that causes friends, who do not row, of the athletes who participate in crew to want to slap the rower's face for complaining about how hard crew is than when they suggest they quit, just stare blankly back as if they are thinking, but thats not even a possibility.

This sport sucks, but will get you a great body, some great friends, into a good college, but otherwise it ruins your life.

Sport that elicits excessive muffin, bagel, and pasta consumption.

Rowers are hungry ALL THE TIME!!!

Rowers know --to erg= to kill yourself repeatedly

Rower: I hate crew, im so tired all the time, my grades suck and it sucks.
Non-rowing friend of rower: If you hate it s much, why don't you quit?
Rower: **Blank stare**

A sport. It looks easy from the land but in reality it requires a LOT of technique, rhythm, focus, and down right power. If your hand movements are sloppy or every person in the boat is not together the boat will not move efficiently and you will exhaust your self for no reason. Crew is the kind of sport you really have to be devoted to and practice a LOT.

Bob wakes up early every weekend, and spends 4 hours every day at crew.
When Sally rows she gets the worst blisters, skin is literally ripped from her hands leaving painful, bleeding open wounds.
Kim rowed 25,000 meters yesterday on an erg. Today she can not walk because her legs, back, and arms are so sore.
Phil lost his voice when his cox box broke and he had to scream calls for the teams entire 3 hour on-the-water practice.
Kevin rowed so hard was over exerted and threw up at the end of the race.
That crew team is more like a family, i wish our soccer team cared about each other and loved their sport as much as those good looking crew kids do. I also wish i had sexy muscular legs and crazy good endurance like them.